A MOTION requesting the executive to develop and submit for council review and acceptance a report on the status and options for sustainable continuation of the department of adult and juvenile detention dedicated veteran housing pilot and veterans-focused programming at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center and to request a supplemental appropriation to support such pilot and programming.

DrafterClerk 04/14/2016TitleA MOTION requesting the executive to develop and submit for council review and acceptance a report on the status and options for sustainable continuation of the department of adult and juvenile detention dedicated veteran housing pilot and veterans-focused programming at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center and to request a supplemental appropriation to support such pilot and programming.Body WHEREAS, King County is home to an estimated one hundred fourteen thousand former members of the United States military, reserves and National Guard who have served in active duty. This population of veterans represents between five and six percent of the total county population, and WHEREAS, research has shown significantly higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder in veterans who have served in combat zones than in the general population. The national research suggests that thousands of King County veterans have experienced or are experiencing posttraumatic stress symptoms to some degree, and WHEREAS, veterans coming into contact with the criminal justice system often have a number of unmet service needs across multiple domains, including mental health issues, substance abuse, homelessness, poverty, unemployment and issues related to posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, and WHEREAS, by increasing veteran access to veterans' justice programs in incarceration facilities, unmet service needs and barriers to recovery can more effectively be addressed through connecting veterans to resources that help stabilize and support them and that aid these individuals in returning to their communities, and WHEREAS, because incarcerated veterans face unique challenges, and research on the medical and psychiatric needs of veterans and persons with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries is continually and rapidly evolving, staff serving veteran populations have significant ongoing training n...